Counting and controlling mechanism



March 27, 1945. T TU 2,372,460

COUNTING AND CONTROLLING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 11, 1941 '4 Sheets-Sheet lINVENTOR.

I ATTORNEY.

March 27, 1945. G TURNER 2,372,460

COUNTING AND CONTROLLING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 11, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR.

BY flat! M /XTTORNEY March Z7, 1945. ER 7 2,372,460

COUNTING AND CONTROLLING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 11, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 3INVENTOR.

BY zzwhm M46 M ATTORNEY;

T. G. TURNER COUNTING AND CONTROLLING MECHANISM March 27, 1945.

Filed Jan. 11, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 NVENTOR. 22M

M M ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 27, 1945 COUNTING AND CONTROLLING MECHANISMThomas G. Turner,

Dayton, Ohio, assignor to The Monarch Marking System Company, Dayton,Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application January 11, 1941, Serial No.374,136

4 Claims.

' This invention relates to counting mechanism as well as to mechanismfor starting and stopping a. machine after a predetermined number ofoperations have been performed. The mechanism may be adapted to varioustypes of machines. In the present disclosure, the mechanism has beenapplied to a machine for marking prices on price tags. In this type ofmachine, the tickets are fed to a printing station in strip form andafter printing, are severed and delivered. The operation of advancing,printing, and severing a ticket constitute a cycle.

It is, of course, highly desirable to make this type of machineryautomatic; that is, to make it possible to start the machine, print, anddeliver a certain number of tickets, and automatically stop the machinewhen the count i complete. For this reason, it has been an object of thepresent inventor to provide a counting and controlling device adaptableto use in certain types of machines such as price tag marking machines,which device includes a counting mechanism adjustable to indicate acertain number of tickets to be printed, whereby the machine upon beingstarted, will proceed to print and deliver the indicated number ofticket and will, when the count is'completed, automatically stop withthe counting mechanism returned to starting position.

More specifically, the object has been to provide a dial arrangementeasily adjustable to the number of tickets to be printed and arrangedrelative to a push-button type of control, whereupon when the operatorpresses a startin button, the machine will run through a given number ofcycles and when the number of -price tags originally indicated has beenprinted and cut, will operate to declutch the mechanism. Further, it hasbeen the object to provide a mechanism of this sort which can beoperated at any time for stopping the printing and cutting prior tocompletion of the count in the event that this is desirable.

Another object has been to provide a mechanism of this type which willbe efiective for slowing down or braking the movement of the machineineach'cycle just prior to the position at which the machine isdeclutched, whereby the machine will not overrun normal stoppingposition when it is declutched.

Other objects and certain advantages of the invention will be more fullyapparent from a description of the drawings in which:

Figure l is a perspective view illustrating a price tag markingmachineincorporating the counting and controlling mechanism of thisinvention.

Figure 2 is a. sectional view taken on lin 2-2, Figure 1, showing aportion of the machine with the cover plates removed and the countingand controlling mechanism exposed.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33, Figure 2, illustrating indetail the connection from the machine to the counting mechanism foroperating the counting mechanism.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4, Figure 2., illustratingin detail the latching mechanism, the release of which causes stoppingof the machine when the counting mechanism returns to starting positionor when the operator desires to stop the machine arbitrarily.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view of a portion of Figure 4, depicting thelatching mechanism in set position as when the clutch is engaged.

Figure 6 is a. sectional view taken on line 6-6, Figure 4, illustratingin detail the connection of the latching mechanism to the stoppingbutton.

Figure 7 Ba sectional view taken on line 11, Figure 2, illustrating indetail the cam means for causing tripping of the latch when the countingmechanism has been returned to starting p0- sition.

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken on line 8 -8, Figure 2, showing theconnection from the counting and. controlling mechanism to the clutch.

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken on line 9-4], Figure 8, showingdetails of the connection from the counting and controllin mechanism tothe clutch.

The counting and controlling mechanism of this invention, as stated, hasbeen applied in the present disclosure to a price tag marking machine.It is mounted at the front of the machine and is visible at H in Figure1 through an opening in the casing l2 of the machine. It has twoconnections to the machine itself, one being the connection for movingthe counter each time a cycle of machine operation is completed; that isto say, each time'a ticket is printed and cut off. The other connectionis to the clutch of the machine and is for the purpose of connecting anddisconnecting the clutch depending upon the position of the controlbuttons.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the base of the markingmachine is indicated at l3. A reel spool I4 is supported on a bracket l5at tached to the base. A roll of ticket I6 is mounted on the reel andthe strip of tickets I! is fed through the feeding mechanism to theprinting station and cut-off station. The various mechmeans of anabutment plate 55.

anisms of the machine do not constitute a part of this invention andaccordingly, are not fully illustrated or described except insofar asFigures 1 and 2 show the general arrangement.

The main shaft I8 is driven by means of pulleys l9 and belts 20, from amotor not shown. One of the main brackets 2| supports the shaft andvarious cams 22 are fixed along this shaft for operating the variousmechanisms. A cam 23 is fixed to the shaft. An arm 24 (Figure 3) ispivoted on a bracket 25 on the base l3 of the machine and carries'aroller 26 at its upper end engaged in the cam track of the cam 23. Anoperating link 21 is flexibly connected to the upper end of the arm 24by means of a screw 28. The forward end of this link 2'! is supported ona screw 29 carried in an angular bracket 30 fixed to the frame 3 I,supporting the counter mechanism. The screw traverses a longitudinalslot 32 in the link. Thus the link may move back and forth on thesupport afforded by the screw.

The forward end of the link carries an actuating finger 33. The hook endof this finger is adapted to engage with successive notches of a notchedwheel 34 fixed on the shaft 35, carrying the counters. The wheel is heldon the shaft by means of a pin (Figure 2). Accordingly, each time thedrive shaft makes a complete revolution to complete one cycle ofoperation of the machine with the resultant tag printing and cuttingoperation, the ratchet wheel is moved one notch or the equivalent of onenumber on the counter. This finger 33 is held in engagement with theratchet wheel by means of a coil spring 36 under compression between theinner end of the finger and a lug 31 on the end of the link 21.

A detent arm 38 is pivotally mounted on a screw All on an end plate 39of the frame supporting the counter mechanism. This detent arm 38 isheld in operative engagement with the ratchet wheel by means of a coilspring 4| under tension between the end of the arm and a pin 42 fixed toa bracket 43 of the machine (Fig- :ure 2).

described in detail since it represents a standard construction. It isused in reverse order; that is to say, is to be set to a figure, forexample 10, and then rotates backwards under the actuation of the cam 23until eleven printed tickets are dispensed at which time the clutch istripped and the mechanism stopped. The reason for delivering one moreticket than necessary is fully explained later on page 9 of thisspecification. The clutch (Figure 8) consists of a driving element 45fixed to the motor shaft 45 and abutting a driven disc 4? fixed to thedriven shaft 18. A clutch, finger 3B is pivotally mounted on a screw d3carried by the driven disc M. This finger includes an extension on itsinner end adapted to cooperate with the teeth 5| of the driving clutchelement 45 and normally pulled into engagement therewith by means of acoil spring 52 under tension between a pin 53 on the finger 38 and a pin54 on the disc 41.

The clutch finger is held out of engagement by This abutment plate isriveted to the inner end of an arm 58, the arm 56 in turn being rivetedto the vertical portion of a lever 57. This lever 51 is pivotallymounted on a pin 58 carried in the arms of a .bracket 59 fixed by meansof screws 60 to the side of the bracket 2!. The pin traverses portionsof the lever 51 lying against the upper and lower arms respectively ofthe bracket 59. Thus,

Jill

the abutment plate 55 has a lateral swinging mo tion for clearing thefinger and permitting the spring 52 to pull the clutch finger intoclutching engagement. Unclutching movement of the finger is limited bymeans of a pin 6| on the disc 47.

The arm 51 isactuated by means of the starting push-button 52 slidablymounted at its forward end in a hanger B3 and attached at its inner endto the end of the lever 51 by means of a pin 64. A coil spring 65 isdisposed around the pin 64 between a cross pin 66 thereof and thepush-button extension for providing a certain amount of friction betweenthe push-button extension and the lever 51. Thus, when the pushbutton isdepressed, the abutment is swung laterally and the clutch finger isfreed for clutching engagement.

The counting and controlling mechanism. in

cludes the push-button 62 for starting andthe push-button 61 forstopping. The starting button is held in depressed or-clutchingpositionby means of a latching mechanism either released automaticallywhen the counting mechanism returns to starting position, orreleasedmanually by operating the stopping button. As will be apparentin Figure 4, this latching mechanism consists of a finger 68 engageablewith a notch 63 in the underside of the stopping push-button extension.A spring "i0, disposed under tension between the arm 5? and the hangerE3, normally holds the starting button in outward or declutchingposition. A small coil spring H, under compression against a lug 12 onthe end plate of the bracket supporting the counting mechanism,

is engaged against the finger 68 normally urgthe lever 13 is engaged ina slot ll in the slidably mounted extension 18 of the stopping button. Aguide block l9 is supported beneath the supporting frame of the countingmechanism on a hanger bracket 85. This block provides a groove withinwhich the stopping button is slidably mounted. A coil spring BI isdisposed under tension between the inner end of the slot; that is,against the hanger and against the inner end of the stopping buttonextension, thus, normally urging the button outwardly. Outward movementis limited by means of a pin 82 in the slot 11 extending outwardly forengagement with the forward wall of a slot 83 (Figure 6) of the guideblock 19. Thus, when the stopping button is depressed, it is effectivefor swinging the lever 13 through the engagement of the forward end wallof the slot 11 with the extension 15 of the finger. This swings thefinger, and the starting button is then per mitted to snap into releasedposition.

The starting button is unlatched automatically by means of a mechanismoperated from the countershaft. The countershaft (Figure 7) carries a.cam 85 rotatively journalled thereon and fixed to the third or hundredscounter dial by pins as shown in Figure 7. This cam includes a'raised ortripping portion ttffwhich is effective when the counting dial isreturned to starting position for swinging an arm 81' fixed to a shaft88 of the counting mechanism journalled in the respective end walls ofthe main bracket. The outer end of this arm carries a pin 89, restinupon the periphery of the cam 85 and therefore, is effective forswinging the arm when the raised portion of the cam engages it.

A coil spring fl, under tension between the outer end of the arm 81 anda pin on the frame normally holds the pin 89 of the arm tightly againstthe periphery of the pam, whereupon the pin will drop off the edge ofthe raised portion of the cam, abruptly tripping the latching mechamsm.

The shaft 88 (Figure 4) carries a disc 9i on its end adjacent thelatching mechanism. This disc has a pin 92 projecting radially from itsperiphery adapted to contact an inclined face 93 on the end of the arm16 of the bell crank lever, this inclined face being immediatelyadjacent the disc.

As stated, it is not believed necessary to describe the details of thecounting mechanism. As indicated in Figure 1, the setting dials projectthrough an openin 95 in the cover plate l2. A mark 96 enables theoperator to align the se lected numbers. If the operator wishes toprint, let us say, 12 tags, he sets the counter at 12. As the machineoperates, the counter moves back- 1 wards until starting point isreached, at which time, the counter will-appear as indicated in Figure1, and the tripping will take place for stopping the mechanism.

A spring cushioned braking plate 81 is provided on the plate 56 forcooperation with a hard-fiber aligner plate 98 carried on the drivenclutch disc 41 to slow the driven disc slightly just prior todisengagement of the clutch, either by hand or automatically. As asecondary function, the two plates 91 and 98 serve to align positivelythe abutment plate 55 with the clutch throw-out finger when the clutchis disengaged.

The braking plates! is pivoted at its outer end on a pair of ears 99which extend into slots in the plate 56. A pin 18! extends through thebraking plate and the plate 55 near the upper end of the brake plate. Awasher It", slidable on the pin, is mounted between the brake and theplate 56 to maintatin them in spaced relationship. A spring I03, mountedon the pin between the brake and the head of the pin, cooperates with awasher fastened to the other end of the pin to lie against the back ofthe plate 56 to provide a cushion for absorbing the shock when thealigner plate 98 comes intocontact with the brake. The upper edge of theinner end of the brake plate 9'! is turned over to provide a cam surfaceH34, and the contacting edge of the aligner is beveled at I so that thealigner is forced into the space between the brake plate 98 and theplate 56, when they meet.

In view of the fact that the machine stops in a position leaving aprinted, unsevered ticket on the platen, it is necessary that thecounter move one 'ticket beyond zero, which brings it to 999,

, as shown in Figure 1. In other words, when the machine starts tooperate, the first cycle moves the previously printed ticket out of themachine and moves the counter one notch. Therefore, assuming that thecounter has been set at 12, only 11 tickets would be delivered if itstopped at zero.

Accordingly, it has been arranged to move past zero one ticket thusdelivering 13 tickets in a run of 12. This is, of course, necessarywhere a different type set-up is being used and the first ticket isunusable.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In a machine, a main shaft for operating the mechanisms of themachine, a driving shaft, a clutch adapted to conn ct the driving shaftto the main shaft, said clutch including an operating finger having aradially projecting portion, a tripping lever adapted to be interposedin the path of movement of said projected portion of the operatingfinger, a push-button for moving the tripping lever laterally for thispurpose, a blade carried by said main shaft adjacent the clutch, and abraking plate carried by the'tripping lever and providing a slot inconjunction with the tripping lever adapted to be entered by the bladeon the main shaft, said braking plate spring-urged toward the lever forexerting a friction on the blade as it passes between the braking plateand the tripping lever for slowing the main shaft just prior todeclutching operation.

2. A counting mechanism for a machine, comprising, a series of countingwheels including means for manually setting said wheels to apredetermined number, which wheels are adapted to be returned tostarting position, a shaft for said wheels, a ratchet wheel carried bysaid shaft,

means for indexing said wheels, a pawl operated by the machine forrotating said ratchet wheel and counting wheels to move the countingwheels in reverse direction one number at a time, a cam carried by thecounting wheel'shaft, a starting means for starting the machine, alatchin finger adapted to engage the starting means for holding it instarting positionand a tripping means operated by the cam for releasingthe finger for stopping the machine when the counting wheels return tostarting position.

3. In a machine, a main shaft for operating the mechanisms of themachine, a driving shaft, a clutch adapted to connect the driving shaftto the main shaft, a clutch throw-out means, a lever for operating saidmeans, a blade carried by said main shaft adjacent the clutch, a brakingplate carried by said lever and providing a slot in conjunction with thelever adapted to be entered by the blade on the main shaft, said brakingplate spring-urged toward the fever for exerting a friction on the bladeas it passes between the braking plate and the tripping lever forslowing the main shaft just prior to declutching operation.

4. A counting and controlling mechanism for a machine comprising, a mainshaft for driving the mechanism, power means for driving said shaft,

means for controlling said power means for discontinuing the drive, acounting mechanism operated by said main shaft, an operating leverextending from said counting mechanism to said power controlling meansfor discontinuing the drive to said main shaft when the countingmechanism completes the count, and a braking mechanism on the main shaftfor slowing down the main shaft just prior to discontinuance of thedrive.

THOMAS G. TURNER.

